Evaporator



Oct. 4, 1932. w E B|||| ET AL 1,880,682

EVAPORATOR Filed March 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 4, 1932. w. E. BIHL. ETAL EVAPORATOR Filed March 3. 1930 2 Sheets-511661'. 2

Ill u.

may z im@ v .c

,mp .md MJ.

l Jia E 736 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OlLfFiCE WILLIAM E; BIHL AND AXEL RAMCLAWFoE-CIIICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoRsro ZERO-V zONE, INCORPORATED, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,y A CCRPCRATION OE DELAWARE l EVAPORATOR Application led March 3, 1930. Serial N o. 432,916.

This invention relates to refrigeration units, and more lparticularly to a refrigera-V tion unit of the type now commonly known in the art as an evaporator.

In refrigerating systems of what is known yas the flooded type used in dwellings, apart ment houses, and similar establishments, an evaporator is mounted in a compartment of the refrigerator structure. This evaporator comprises a barrel or container, sometimes referred to as a boiler, and a'plurality of tubular members or pipes opening into the coIi'-,

tainer and extending therefrom intothe compartment of the refrigerator. A suitable yrefrigerant, sulphur dioxide is extensively used,

issupplied to this Container in liquid formfrom acom ressor. Y

This liqui refrigerant flows from the lower portion of the container to the tubular members or pipes and-absorbs the heat in the compartment of the refrigerator thereby lowering the temperature thereof, thev refrigerant being thereby vaporized. The vaporized refrigerant collects in the upper portion of the container from which it is withdrawn and compressed and then returned to the con and costly job.v There is always thek pos' sibility of a defective joint, with resulting. leakage, since the human equation cannotA be eliminated. Even though the jointsvbe properly made at first, there is great'danger of one or more of these joints becoming broken or openedV in handling and shipping of theA unit since the pipes extending therefrom are of appreciable lengthV and, whenv subjected This means thatthere is, a system of this sort, one hundred pounds or more of refrigerant. If the slightest leak should occur in any of the evaporatorsor units included in the system, there is therpossibility of discharging this 100 pounds ofrefrigerant, in the form of gas or vapor. When this ocv curs a very serious situation' develops which might quite possibly result in the loss of life; This is, of course, the most serious objection to the form of evaporator or unit now commonly used in the flooded system of refrigeration, referred to. From the standpoint `of production, the necessity of hand soldering the pipes or tubes into the container vis objectionable as greatly adding to the cost of the unit. A leak, in addition to endangering life,gis highly objectionable'as creating an offensive odor, preventing eicient operation of the system, and for various other reasons which need not be enumerated in detail. y

7e have found that it is possible to avoid the above noted objections to the present form of evaporator by providing means whereby the heat in the compartment'containing the evaporatoror unit can be readily conducted to the container and the'liquid refrigerant therein without employing 'pipes or" like elements through which the refrigerant circulates. This avoids all `necessity for providing a multiplicity of openings inthe body ofthe container into which the ends of the I'pipes are solder-ed, avoidingthe possibility of breaking of the joints and resulting leakage. ,Y p

Our invention comprises, in its broader Aaspects,the provision of a container for 4a refrigerant, this container having associated therewithtmembers of high heat conductivity serving to conduct the heat to the container the vaporized refrigerant being drawn o' f or permitted to escape from the container. In this manner, the compartment of therefrigerator is effectively cooled 'main` tained at a temperature proper for efciently conserving food stuffs. e Y

It is one of the main objects of our invention to provide an evaporator or refrigerating unit in which the body of the container is continuous and unbroken and possibility of leakage therefrom due to defective joints is eliminated. A further obj ect is to provide a unit of simple and inexpensive but rugged and highly' efficient construction. Further objects and advantages will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a 4front view of a refrigerating unit constructed in accordance with our invention, as applied;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig..1; i Y

Fig. 3 is a side View of the unit as applied; Fig. 4 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a ysectional view taken substantially on line 5 5' of Fig..2;

Referring more particularly toFigs. 4 and v5, our unit includes a cylindricalcontainer or barrel lclosed at one end by an integral head 2. A'fianged ring 3 is suitably secured inthe other end of the barrel so as to have a'fiuid tight closure therewith. A head 4 is secured ina suitable manner, as by means of cap screws v5, to ring 3, a gasket 6 being interposed between the head and the ring so as to form a fluid-tight closure therebetween. This head 4'is provided with an inlet opening 5 7 for admission of refrigerant in liquid form.

A nipple 8, having a reduced admission opening 9 controlled by a valve 10,is secured in passage 7. This valve is connected to a lever 11 mounted upon a bracket12 suitably secured to head 4. A float 13 is securedtolever 11 at the other end thereof and coacts with the lever and valve 10 to control admission of liquid refrigerant to body lafof the container.vr rlhe head 4 is further provided with anoutlet passage 14 and an outlet tube 15 is secured in the inner end of'this passage and extends inwardly into theupper portion of body 1a., the inner end offthis tube being curved upwardly. An inlet pipe 16 is connected to the inlet passage 7, an exhaust pipe vsize thereof in a known manner.

17 being connected to the outlet'or exhaust passage 14. The pipe 17 is connected tothe intakev of a compressor and the pipe 16V is connected to the outlet or discharge ofthe compressor, the vaporized refrigerant being nor described in detail. The container, as a whole, is, in general, of known construction. It isparticularly pointed out, however, that the body 1a is continuous and unbroken throughout its whole extent.

The body or shell ofthe container is drawn in a single piecefand. is formed o f copper,

brass, or'other suitable material possessing high heat conductivity. A tubular casing 18 is disposedat'each side of body 1a and is suitably connected thereto in such manner as to have an efficient thermal connection are secured thereto and to the top and bot-;

tom and side walls of thecasings- 18 in a suitable manner, as by soldering, so as to have efficient thermal connection with the casings' and the body; of the container.

These fins 21 arevalso formed of material which is highly eHicient as a conductor of heat, such as copper, brass, or other suitable material.

The unit thus constructed is `compact and of strong and durable construction, the casings 18 serving to connect and effectively brace the fins 21 so that thel entire structure possesses desired rigidity.

This unit is intended tobe mounted in a compartment 22 of ay refrigerator construction 23. We have illustrated the unit as supported upon suitable brackets 24 4secured to the side walls of the compartment, the fins 21 seating edgewise upon these brackets.

lThe brackets are of elongated U-shape in plan so as' to provide suitable openings25 topermit circulation of air upwardly therethrough as indicated in Fig. 5. Thecasings 18 are extendedso1ne \vhaty beyond end 2 of body 1a of the container through .a finishing or facing plate 26,'the outer ends of theseicasings being beaded overand suitably secured to this plate. Plate 26servesto close anopen-v. ing 27 in a, closure plate28 suitably secured in the front; of; the compartment 22. The opening 27 is of proper size topermit insertion ofthe unit into the compartment and po-v sitioning thereofluponthe brackets 24. It will'be noted that the unit is disposed with the head4 toward and adjacent the back ofthe compartment.V When the unit is in place,

the .plate 26, inaddition toV servingas a closure for the opening 27, also 'serves to'cover` upthe unit so that thestructureasa whole presents a'neat and finished'appearance.

. The'casings 18 "receive icetrays 29 of known constructionA which Vare inserted into and 'withdrawny from vth'efca'sings' from the` outer ends thereof. Casings k18 are provided warmer air' within the compartment 22 flows upwardly along the sidesr of the compartment and through openings 25 of brackets 2li into Contact with the casings 18 and fins 21. V'l he casings and the tins, being good heat concluetors, extract the heat from this relatively warm air and conduct it to the container, this he-at being utilized to vaporize the refrigen Aant. The air is thus cooled and the relatively cold air flows downwardly about the unit and from the lower portion thereof into the coin,-

partment, as indicated in Fig. 5. A continuous circulation of air is thus maintained and the heat is quickly extracted from this air which passes over the fins and casings which provide an exposed surface of relatively great area which is thermally connected to the body of the container and, through this body, by heat conduction, to the body of refrigerant therein.

It is to be `particularly noted that the container for the refrigerant is completely sealed against escape of the refrigerant otherwise than through the outlet passage 14. This container is provided with but two'passages,

the inlet passage 7 and the outlet passage and the body la is free of all joints or connections which might possibly be broken or opened due to handling or other causes resulting in lea-kage of the refrigerant. It is also noted that there is no possibility of leakage of the refrigerant due to a defective joint caused by 4improper soldering of a pipe or tube or other element into the body of the container. Also, by avoiding the necessity for hand soldering the tubes or pipes into the body of the container, we provide a unit which can be produced at much less cost than the present type of unit now in use.

While we have illustra-ted and described a preferred form of our invention, we do not limit ourselves to the particular construction shown since our invention, in its broader aspects, is directed broadly to the idea of a container free of joints or connections, and heat conducting members thermally connected to the container and extending therefrom into the compartment of the refrigerator structure.

A further advantage of our construction is the disposal of the head l at the inner end or rear of the unit. By having this head at ythe inner end of the unit, the tubes or pipes 16 and 17 leading to the condensercan be con-` nected to the head l in the most Vconvenient position and these tubes or pipes do not in any way interfere with inserting the ice trays into? or withdrawing ythem from the casings 1 8. To facilitatev connection of the pipes 16 and 17, the compartment QQimay be provided with a suitably disposed opening and closure means therefor, as is known in the art.

` lt will be noted that the tins 21 extend coinpletely about and enclose the casings 18. This is advantageous as expediting freezing of the water in the trays 29.

lVhat we claim is 1.111 a refrigerating unit, a container for a. refrigerant, said container being a goed conductor of heat, a plurality of heat conduct-l fins secured upon the container in thermal connection therewith, and casings of heat conducting material secured to the hns said casings being adjacent to but separated from said container and having thermal' connection'A therewith, said casings beingvadapted for re-v ception of ice pans, and also serving as baliles which direct air streams around said container.

2.. in a refrigerating unit, a container `for a refrigerant, said container being a good conductor of hea't,rand a plurality of substantially.rectangular heat conducting fins secured upon the container in thermal conto direct the air that is to be cooled by the.

unit around said container.

4. In a refrigerator having a chamber that is to be cooled, a refrigerating unit comprising a horizontal drum, substantially rectan- Oular fins attached to said drinn. means for 53 supporting said fins in said chamber with their major axes horizontal to thereby support the drum in said chamber, said fins and supporting means beingpositioned so that the warmed air in said chamber r4will rise in the space beyond the ends of the fins, box like freezing chambers supported by said iins and located one on each side of'said drum and adjacent Ato but not touching it, said chambers forming baffles which direct said air around said drum as it descends. l y

5. In a refrigerator, a chamberbounded in part by parallel vertical walls, brackets projecting from said walls near the top of refrigerating drum supported by said tinsv y and located substantially midway between said walls, cooling casings supported by said lins said casino's'beinv s aced awa from' said walls and from said drum and serving as battles for directing thecirculation of air in said chamber. Y

6. In a refrigerator, a chamber bounded in part by parallel vertical walls, brackets projecting from said walls near the top of said chamber, a plurality of substantially rectangular fins supported by said brackets,said fins being Vertical in said chamber and being substantially parallel to each other, a refrigerating drum supported by said fins' and located substantially midway between said walls, cooling casings supported by said fins, said casings being spaced away from said walls and from said drum and serving as baflles for directing the circulation otair in said chamber.

7 In a refrigerator, av chamber bounded a in part by parallel Vertical walls, brackets projecting from said walls near the top of said chamber, a plurality of substantially rec- Y tangular sheet metal fins supported vertically between said brackets and disposed normal to said walls, a refrlgerating drum supported by said lins and located substantially midway between said Walls, cooling casings supported by said fins, said casings being spaced away from said walls and from said drum and serving as battles for directing the circulation of air in said chamber.

8. In a refrigerator, a chamber bounded in part by parallel Vertical walls, Ybrackets projecting from said walls near the top of said chamber, a plurality of substantially rectangular sheet metal fins supported Vertically between said brackets and disposed normal to said walls, a refrigerating drum supported by said fins and located substantially midway between saidwalls with its axis pai allel to said Walls, cooling casings supported by said lins, said casings being spaced away from said walls and from said drum and serving as baliles for directing the circulation of air in said chamber.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subs'crilxe' 

